Fate of tower program up in the air - Senators, House members, mayors write in support - Heavier truck opponents plan offensive - A hairy weekend on Metro

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TOWERS PROGRAM IN LIMBO: Despite increasing pressure from dozens of municipal leaders and a diverse group of lawmakers asking directly for more information about its fate, the FAA’s contract tower program remains in limbo. A total of 149 towers’ federal funding is still set to shut off on June 15, and DOT hasn’t yet answered either our questions or those of some members of Congress about whether the bill passed last week and signed this week by the president means DOT has the flexibility to keep the money flowing to the facilities. One example was freshman Rep. Richard Hudson, who talked to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood this week in addition to spearheading a letter to the secretary. But LaHood “did not tip his hand” during the chat one way or the other, we’re told, although it was deemed a “very good conversation” by an aide, who said LaHood “understood how important the airport in Concord is to the state and the region.” Several people with a stake in the decision say privately they expect the program to survive — and they are just waiting for DOT to make it official.

41 senators strong: More than 40 senators pressed the FAA to keep the contract tower money flowing. In a letter (http://politico.pro/10ZOVTC) spearheaded by Sens. Jerry Moran and Richard Blumenthal, the 41 members of the upper chamber argue that the bill signed by President Barack Obama on Wednesday intends to not just end FAA furloughs but also provides millions in spending flexibility that should be used to keep the towers open, even though the legislation did not contain specific language about the contract towers (or the furloughs, for that matter). The signees argue that their support for the bill — which cleared the upper chamber unanimously — “was based on the understanding that the contract towers could be fully funded.” They wrote to LaHood and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta that “by providing up to $253 million in funding authority — far above the amount required to prevent furloughs — congressional intent is clear: The FAA should prevent the slated closure of 149 contract towers by fully funding the contract tower program.”

One notably absent signature: Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski, who on Wednesday put out a release applauding FAA for deciding the keep the towers open (which is still online: http://1.usa.gov/13O2fHo). DOT has remained mum, fueling speculation that LaHood has privately assured some lawmakers that the money would go to the contract towers. Another clue: After he was denied a vote on his tower amendment in late March, Moran said Mikulski “indicated to me after the conclusion of the CR that she was interested in working with me to find a solution, so I’m still looking for that opportunity.” Maybe the Marylander knows something that MT does not.

House, too: A group of 82 House members led by Frederica Wilson and Bob Goodlatte also wrote the secretary, arguing that “maintaining service at all contract air towers is intrinsic to the authority granted in this law.”

And lots of mayors: Seventy mayors, representing cities as large as Dallas and Columbus, Ohio, wrote to Huerta to urge the administration to use the extra money on the towers and expressing “deep concerns” over both the economic and safety risks that closing the towers would pose. “Aviation and our local airports are a critical economic lifeline for these communities, and we simply can not afford this type of devastating blow at a time when our communities are already struggling to recover. We ask you to reconsider this decision in light of these concerns,” the mayors wrote. http://bit.ly/10vsIFA

CARRYING ON: Rep. Jim McGovern will lead a presser next week with the Truck Safety Coalition to tell the public and Congress to stand against legislation that would increase truck weights. TSC plans to also release a poll which the group says “shows the American public does not want heavier trucks.” TSC says they want to stop the “trucking industry agenda,” but pro-truck weight increase supporters tell us that they believe the battle is more about shippers and less about truckers vs. rail.

DANG, YOU FINED: DOT is hitting Air China with a $90,000 fine because it did not make the required announcements every 30 minutes to passengers delayed on a plane at JFK informing travelers that they could go back to the gate. The plane sat at the gate with the door open for nearly two hours while the airline did not make the announcement, DOT said.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP PROBLEM: A judge ruled this week that the $2.1 billion Midtown Tunnel project in Virginia’s Hampton Roads is unconstitutional — and the state’s top officials aren’t pleased. Gov. Bob McDonnell said the state will appeal the ruling and a spokesman for AG Ken Cuccinelli, who defended the Virginia DOT in the lawsuit, said the move threatens public-private partnerships that can offer another funding option amid tighter budgetary times. The Virginian-Pilot has more: http://bit.ly/15aOibi

THIS WEEKEND ON METRO: You might want to bring a book this weekend. Shuttle buses replace trains between Glenmont and Fort Totten as five stations (Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring and Takoma) are closed. The Green Line gets a bit complicated — buses replace trains between Congress Heights and Branch Avenue on Friday and Saturday, but there’s only single-tracking between those two stations on Sunday. The Orange Line has two stretches of single-tracking and the Blue Line has one. WMATA has the run-down: http://bit.ly/153pyRL

Your holiday on Metro: The agency is now selling its July 4 commemorative SmarTrip cards. The cards are $14 and include a one-day rail pass. http://bit.ly/18fXeuz

Your new Metro map: Metro is dealing with a new cartographic Silver Line problem: How to fit three lines running together onto the new map. After some feedback, the transit agency’s new draft map connects stations on the Blue, Orange and Silver Lines with white bars. Greater Greater Washington, which has had extensive Metro map coverage, has more: http://bit.ly/11YnciP

MT POLL — Friend of Foxx? Are you optimistic about Anthony Foxx taking the reins at DOT? Will he be a good fit or hurt the agency’s direction? Maybe you’re ambivalent and think Congress is more important. Let us know before Sunday at noon: http://bit.ly/152wRtl

COMING MONDAY: Need insight on what’s happening in the tax world? POLITICO is launching a late-morning version of Morning Tax, the premier newsletter on tax policy. POLITICO Pro Tax subscribers will continue to receive the exclusive 6 a.m. version, and starting Monday, POLITICO will offer the Morning Tax roundup to a wider audience later in the day. To sign up, click here: http://www.politico.com/morningtax/.

THE COUNTDOWN: DOT funding and passenger rail policy both run out in 151 days. Surface transportation policy is up in 519 days and FAA policy in 881 days. The mid-term elections are in 550 days.

CABOOSE — Bridge over troubled moniker: A spat between Illinois and Missouri over just what to call a new bridge is bubbling up over the Mississippi River. The Illinois House voted unanimously to name the span the Veterans Memorial Bridge; members of Congress and Missouri legislators prefer naming it after baseball legend Stan Musial. Maybe there’s some common ground: Musial was, after all, a veteran. AP: http://hrld.us/15cNq5X (h/t Tal Kopan)

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